


The Outcasts

by ErisNuiLadyFall



Category: Wakfu
Genre: Adventure, Alternate Universe, Angst, Brotherhood of Forgotten, Exotic Plants, F/F, F/M, M/M, Magic, Magical Machines, Mystery, PTSD, Science cooperating with Magic, Statis, The Siblings, Wakfu - Freeform, canon AU, elemental powers
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2017-08-31
Updated: 2017-11-08
Packaged: 2018-12-22 06:11:36
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence
Chapters: 12
Words: 14,984
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/11961366
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/ErisNuiLadyFall/pseuds/ErisNuiLadyFall
Summary: [ON HIATUS]





	1. Chapter 1

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Firstly: sorry for grammatical errors; English isn't my native language and I'm still learning it. Secondly: I know, it doesn't look consistent, but I had no idea how to bring Qilby back to the World of Twelve. I'll be workin' on it.

Changes came one year after the imprisonment. The Child King, Yugo visited him in the White Dimension to tell him about Pherris's death. Qilby thought he should be happy because this damned lizard got what he deserved. But he wasn't happy. The old dragon deserved a better death, in fight or in peace, not because somebody blackmailed him!  
  
It started with the fact that Yugo brought chess. At the beginning, Qilby didn't even want to listen to him, but the need to contact other beings won. They started to play. Chess, checkers, Ecaflipian poker (they quickly resign from this one because the rules were so complicated that they had to be the native Ecaflips to understand them, and some cards were tagged and ended with quarrels about shuffling) and 'pearl boats'- a game Yugo learned from a fisherman who came once to Emelka.  
  
Then the young Eliatrop brought books and new clothes. Qilby was sceptical, expecting bad literature, but he had to admit that the people from the World of Twelve had an imagination. The novels about the dragons amused him a bit because of essential errors, but they had their undeniable charm.  
  
At one point, Qilby suggested to Yugo that he would teach him things Adamai and Balthazar certainly didn't know, about their culture, their skills. The boy agreed, though in the White Dimension their abilities were severely limited. But slowly the bond was established. The old Eliatrop cared about it, he didn't want to lose the fragile trust the Little King had given him. Not again, not by his damned ambition.  
  
Until one day Yugo came to him, pale, shivering, feverish. Sick. He barely could walk and Qilby had to catch him, because the boy stumbled (probably because of his own legs, he was sure there wasn't a damn thing on the 'ground') and fell forward.  
  
"Adamai went away," Yugo whispered looking up into space. "He's not here, I can't..."  
  
"Shh" whispered Qilby, hugging the young Eliatrop to his chest. Tears of the child king wetted his shirt "calm down, I know how much it hurts, really. But I can assure you his soul is safe. You two will meet someday."  
  
Yugo nodded and tugged his face closer to the man's shoulder. Chronologically the boy was almost twenty years old and was certainly more mature than his appearance would tell, but he was still a child. Ripening but still one foot in childhood. He needed a support in situations that were beyond him.  
  
Finally, the young Eliatrop relaxed and fell asleep with face in Qilby's shoulder. He had to be very exhausted. Sudden breaking the bond between the Eliatrop and their dragon siblings was extremely painful and exhausting experience for this one who survived.  
  
"I'll take him to Alibert. With his family it will be easier for him," Qilby muttered, gently stroking the boy's hair. Watching it all on the other side of the portal Baltazar growled "Oh, come on, you know well that without Eliacube I can't do anything, I'm almost out from power!"  
  
"One trick, Traitor, and you're coming back here faster than you get surprised," Baltazar snapped, showing a few and blunted teeth, but allowed Qilby to leave. It might seem surreal, but it was about their king, so all the animosities had to go sideways.  
  
\-------------------  
  
On the day Alibert found a pair of small blue wings on his adoptive son's head, he swore to himself that he would never to be shocked again, so when his twin brother was discovered as a small, voracious dragon Alibert wasn't even surprised. With Chibi and Grougal also "somehow" he could deal with. But the view of a man who almost killed them all and allowed the demon to possess Adamai, at the door of his inn and with his son in his arms (arm) was at least surprising.  
  
"Qilby..." Alibert blinked quite quickly.  
  
"I'll explain" coughed the croaking Eliatrope. Portal from White Dimension threw him about half a mile from the target "Yuga's room is upstairs, right?"  
  
Without asking for Enutrof's approval, he carried Yugo up, avoiding the jaws of a small black dragon targeting at his leg.

\--------------------

  
"Ever since Adamai disappeared, Yugo still blamed himself, he had nightmares," Alibert explained, giving the tea to an unexpected guest "I was with him at several healers from The Eniripsa and two medics using non-magical methods. Yesterday BOOM! He demolished his room in his sleep"  
  
"Sleepwalking?" Qilby asked, though he suspected that Yugo had probably not moved out of bed.  
  
"I'd like to" Enutrof confirmed his suspicions. "And this morning he got fever and went to you."  
  
"Wonderful" the old Eliatrop sighed as he drank half a cup.  
  
"Are..." Alibert bit his lip. "Will he be alright?"  
  
"If Adamai had actually left," sighed Qilby, "that's all we can do to help Yugo in his mourning. It will take a while, but it is possible."  
  
Alibert nodded and grimly handed Grougal leg from the stool before the little dragon's teeth stuck in calf of the old Eliatrop.  
  
\-------------------  
  
At the edge of the forest were three figures and watched the inn. Gradually night was coming. The light went out in the building. Its residents settled down to sleep.  
  
"Now?" asked the female one.  
  
"Now," the commander said, and the intruders went off to hunt.


	2. Chapter 2

It was approaching midnight, and Grougal was fully awake. He didn't like that Qilby was allowed to stay here and in addition he could be so close to Yugo. That he could help Yugo wasn't making any diffren...  
  
Stop. Wait a moment. After all, no one said that the Traitor stays here forever. Maybe when Yugo recovers, he or Baltasar will send Qilby where his place is! And he'll pay for everything he did!  
  
Satisfied with this vision, the black dragonett smiled and tried again to fall asleep again when he heard a weird murmur and muffled hiss in the corridor. Too big for a mouse... A rat then!  
  
Grougal shuddered. So far he had met a rat only once, when a particularly pestilent pest entered the baby room, taking the little boy in the black hat for a great dinner. Before papa Alibert had time to react, the little dragon was wounded in his back, but he bit off the tail of the opponent. How Chibi was scared then... Oh no, it will not happen again!  
  
The little dragonett, without thinking much about this decision, bristled his scales to look bigger than he really was and jumped into the corridor with snarl. But there was no rat. It was much bigger. And it didn't even look like a rodent.  
  
"Hello, Grougal."  
  
\-----------------------  
  
Qilby had been suffering from insomnia for some 11,000 years, so he knew of the presence of three intruders since they had approached the inn. One of them had a rather familiar aura... and certainly did not come to talk about good old days.  
  
The door snapped as one of the strangers entered. They had problem with their left leg, or had a wooden prosthesis, so they couldn't move too quietly. Qilby continued pretending to be asleep. Maybe it's not about him...  
  
He jumped out of bed before the fist of the striker hit him in the head. Maybe he couldn't open the portal or create a simple Wakfu ribbon, but still had a few aces in his sleeve. For example, good reflex. Standing on his bent legs and baring his fangs, he glanced defiantly at the intruder ready for another blow.  
  
It was a female Sadida, but different from these he had seen so far. The left side of her body, including face, was covered with a dark brown bark matching the color of her skin, and on left side of her head was a twisted horn resembling a branch. She had a Treeing, illness which could touch only the Sadida people and was slowly turning their body into wood.  
  
Her illness was in a very advanced stage, but there was no indication that the disease would affect her condition and motility in any way. She moved gracefully and with high speed so she could equal the chance in fight with the old Eliatrope.  
  
"How long?" Qilby asked in a rush of scientific curiosity.  
  
"Fuck you, old man" the Sadida snapped, pointing her infected arm toward him. The limb lengthened in a few seconds, keeping the shape of the hand, but it hit the floor only. The Eliatrope whistled with admiration. Most of the infected people who he met in the past, were getting more and more serious paralysis because of the development of the disease... And she not only continued to move, she transformed her weakness into a weapon!  
  
"If only I had laboratory equipment," Qilby sighed, more to himself, and quickly dived under the table, because the woman again tried to hit him with her fist, but hit only on the counter.  
  
Qilby was not 100% sure what had happened next, but first he heard a series of glitches and something like bubbling and then he was in the grip of a big wooden puppet, which, according to all the signs on a floor and ceiling, had been a while before the desk under which he had hidden.  
  
"Most people prefer dolls," the woman sighed, as if she was talking about the weather, and stroked a head of a rag doll tied to her waist. "But I discovered that dead and living plants are also quite useful."  
  
"You have really extraordinary talent" The old Eliatrope wasn't kidding; He was really impressed. Using of malignant cells to infect and take control of plants and dead wood is not a cheap trick. "But I can know what do you want from me?"  
  
"Me? Nothing. But Young one wanted to see what with his brother" the female Sadida shrugged. "And then he saw you... and thought that you would be a great addition to menagerie of the Boss Lady. I think he has some problem with You"  
  
"Young one...?" Qilby repeated hesitantly, and then the rest of intruders entered the room. One was an Ecaflip with black fur coat, yellow eyes and white robes. The other was... a ivory dragon with blue marks on body. "Adamai...?!  
  
No, no... It couldn't be him. It was impossible, He looked older than he should be, given the age of Yugo... He looked at least twenty years older!  
  
"Qilby," the dragon smiled slightly, and there was a strange spark in his eyes. "You know, I always wondered what I would feel if I saw you again beyond the White Dimension. You don't even imagine how much it cost me to refrain from break your neck."  
  
"Oh Goddess, what did you do, kid?" shocked Qilby whispered. Although he had hoped that he simply went wrong and it must be some other dragon, there could be no mistake. It was Adamai, but... Shit, what could speed up the development of the body and at the same time to break the bond between twins?  
  
"Well, it turns out that you was right about something: Yugo is not suited for the king, he is soft, arrogant, and created danger for the existence of all for _one_ person. One of us had to show some reason," Adamai said calmly, then frowned. "What did you do with my brother? How You forced him to let You out, Traitor?"  
  
"Oh, so he's still your brother," snapped Qilby. "I thought you broke the bond and don't want to have anything to do with your family."  
  
Adamai snarled and punched the old Eliatrop in his face. From his nose leaked a little stream of blood.  
  
"Speak for yourself" the dragon's fingers clamped to his victim's jaw. Qilby looked hard at the dragon's eyes.  
  
"I hate to bother you" the Ecaflip interrupted. "But we still have a schedule"  
  
"You know what they say, Ush" Adamai smiled maliciously and tilted Qilby's head back. "revenge is best served cold."  
  
Now Qilby began to wonder what had happened to the rest of the inn's residents.


	3. Chapter 3

Above the Port of Mali, hundreds of kilometers away from Emelka, the sun was rising, and night life was disappearing under pressure of day life. All suspicious sellers of illegal potions, lethal poisons, or powerful artifacts have swapped places with suspicious sellers dealing with stale fish, ruffled fabrics, and ancient artifacts created fifteen minutes earlier. Not without reason Port Mali was called the coastal Brakkmar.  
  
A small tofu bird woke up as the sunlight illuminated its nest and immediately set off for a search for food or a partner. It flew over the red roofs of the city contented with life, when suddenly it saw an open window into the attic room. A folded window at this time usually meant that someone had breakfast and could leave some tasty remnants, so the bird flew in and sat on the headboard of the bunk bed.  
  
Little tofu looked around at the messy apartment; There were clothes, dirty dishes and books everywhere, and its inhabitants were sleeping deeply, so a small bird opened its beak and began to sing as loud as it could. Then a thin, pale hand with black nails jumped from under the duvet and caught the creature.  
  
\-----------  
  
She couldn't see a damn thing except of smoke and flames. And she only heard ringing in her ears. And she didn't need a doctor's opinion to know she had a blood in her lung. There was a guy leaning over her whom she saw first time. He was clearly terrified and mumbled over and over "It will be all right, everything will be fine" (funny that she heard **this** ).  
  
Suddenly someone caught a man by the collar and threw him against the wall, another man, dressed in black. She heard his shouting. "I told you it's dangerous, but you didn't listen! It's your fault, you hear me?" For gods's sake, did he have to be so loud? The ringing in her ears grew stronger.  
  
When she opened her eyes, a bright morning light blinded her for a moment. And she heard quite a characteristic chirping just above her ear.  
  
"Fuck, you've gotta be kidding..." she rattled and tried to come back to life. Yesterday evening she went with Kira for "a one"... And they probably didn't end on one, she was sure "How did you get here, you son of...?"  
  
And she clenched her thin fingers on the ball of feathers that sat on the headboard of her bed. Tofu instead of silent began to screech. She slid her head from under the blanket and stuck a sinister stare into the little bird. The bright yellow animal had almost its eyes out of a skull and opened its beak, trying to catch air. It had to get through the window. Through the damn window, which they didn't close yesterday!  
  
"Kira, damn it!" The crooked screech echoed in the neighborhood.  
  
"Shut up, Yaga, what the hell?!" The white-haired young woman in the other bed snapped.  
  
"We didn't close the window and now we..." here she threw the tofu out "have pests in the apartment!"  
  
"Now, that was mean" noticed Kira "You should stun it with a frying pan and take it outside, the bow meows would be have a breakfast."  
  
Then a loud 'MREOW' sounded outside.  
  
"Speaking of... is there something to eat?" Kira tried to sit up, but it didn't work well.  
  
"Gimme a sec," Yaga muttered, jumping from the top of her bed and landing on her toes. Okay, maybe it won't be so bad today. The boss lady always used to say that the day you started on the two limbs (necessarily the lower ones), that day would be good.  
  
Sadly, the victory of the lower limbs was ransomed by a terrible loss; Their small pantry was completely empty. Even mice and spiders fled from there.  
  
"We need to go shopping," Yaga murmured.  
  
"Go ahead, I'll catch up with you," Kira murmured, who, apart from drinking, had fulfilled the duties of the god Sram's cultist last night and slept poorly.  
  
"If you insist," her roommate sighed, pulling her shirt on.  
  
\---------------  
  
Master Joris Jurgen, Bonta's ambassador, didn't like to being seen too much. And in Port Mali, however, he was caught in the eye. Not so much by his height, but how much by dress. The coat of Bonta's ambassador and representative and his hammer stood out against the fashion of the coastal Brakkmar. Those who worked at sea, smiths, or fabric dyers obviously didn't wear anything sophisticated to not destroy clothing at work, but everyone tried to look pretty colorful as if they were some sea creatures that came out on a shore. They wore feathers, scales, sea glass, shells, pearls, shards of coral and so on. Everyone wore some decoration, or had richly embroidered clothes. And the weapon used by the locals always had a blade. It's logical that Ambassador Bonty in his modest traveler costume and with a great hammer at his side did not fit in here.  
  
But he did not come here to compare the contents of his wardrobe with the costumes of the coastal population. Since Adamai had disappeared, and Yugo started to fall ill, Master Joris tried to track down Brotherhood of the Forgotten and find out more about them. And he was very effective in his action. He even managed to find someone in the ranks of the group who started giving him information. He learned that the Brotherhood consists not only of the demigods and dragons's offspring but also of ordinary people who turned away from the gods, who lost all their faith in them. He also learned that Lady Echo was not the only leader of the Brotherhood, but in contrast to the other one she was a bit more understanding. And constantly recruited new people.  
  
According to the informant, most efforts now were focused on finding a girl who came out from nowhere, pretty literaly. It seems nothing, but supposedly she possesed extraordinary ability that could support the Case. And she was very difficult to capture, always when the Brotherhood managed to find her, the girl slipped away, and Echo's agents, who were sent after the target, ended in nursing home with broken limbs, damaged spines, wrenched off jaws and many other similar souvenirs.  
  
But now it was supposed to change; Allegedly, Echo planned to send to her several demigods plus a new acquisition. A few hours ago Alibert contacted Joris and told him that Qilby was temporarily released from the White Dimension. And almost a moment later the old Eliatrop disappeared from the inn. Not good.  
  
For an additional fee, Joris received the location of the wanted girl and her portrait. Nothing special, she wasn't an extraordinary beauty, but she wasn't ugly either. Pretty nice face, brown eyes, slightly raised nose, long dark hair...  
  
Ah, there she is. She walked toward the market with a basket in her hand. Brown trousers, black slippers and blue blouse. She didn't notice him or pretended not to see him. Anyway, it was necessary to warn her against the imminent threat. Ambassador of Bonta took a deep breath and rushed to the girl quickly.  
  
"Excuse me, miss..." he began as politely as possible.  
  
"I do **not** provide such services" was a cold answer.  
  
Oops.  
  
Not the best start to the conversation.  
  
\---------------------------  
  
Yaga has heard about Master Joris of Bonta before, he wasn't some "hero" on a quest, but a true warrior. The problem was that she never saw him, nor even heard any exact description of Bontarian Ambassador. Therefore, when some stranger accosted her, she immediately assumed that it was a seducer hunting for girls from the province (maybe she was prejudiced, but usually foreigners from another bigger cities were guys who thought they can harass every girl in Port Mali, no matter in what district they met her, and she will gladly go to bed with them) Well, do not trust the first impressions. At least do not trust them too much.  
  
Luckily, Master Joris quickly explained the mistake, before things turn in nasty direction. The only thing he wanted from her was to warn her against someone who hunted her. Yes, she had met a bunch of morons before, who were trying to catch her and bring her to some Lady Echo, but they were usually normal people. The demigods were something new.  
  
"Who is this Lady Echo by the way?" Yaga cocked her head as she and Master Jurgen walked through the market. She was shopping, he was observing the environment. "I asked the people she was sending after me, but they were never open to honest talk."  
  
"She's a pretty mysterious person" Joris sighed, "I don't think her soldiers know anything about her, and only thing I know she's fond for demigods of all kinds, but she doesn't tolerate the gods"  
  
"Somehow I'm not very surprised," muttered the girl, frowning with disdain. "The gods can be extremely assholes, and they don't care about their children."  
  
"You speak as if you knew them," said the short warrior.  
  
"Who knows, maybe I know?" the girl smiled enigmatic "Master Joris, I appreciate your concern for my existence of dubious value and the effort you have to put yourself to find me, but unfortunately you tired yourself unnecessarily. I met many unusual beings on my way and if Lady Echo is going to use more powerful cards, I'm gonna do the same thing. Anyway, you can stop worrying about me and come back to your wonderful lifepartner."  
  
"How do you...?!" Master Joris jumped in terror. After all, no one knew...!  
  
"I bluffed," the girl laughed and started walking toward her. "Goodbye, Master Joris"  
  
"Hey, miss, wait!" Jurgen wanted to stop her, but Yaga had already vanished into the crowd "Damn it"  
  
Meanwhile, a Masqueraider, watching them from a distance, followed the girl. He had to know where she was going, or his lady would be very unpleased.


	4. Chapter 4

"Something happened," Kira briefly commented, staring at her roommate while they were getting ready for work. Slowly dusk fell.  
  
"How did you deduce that?" Yaga raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Because you packed all the things you came here with," said the Sram cultist, pulling away a completly white strand from her face. She had to cut her hair soon. "Listen, I promised I won't be dwelling in your business, but I'd be a bad friend if I allowed something to happen to you."  
  
"This is a surprisingly nice gesture from you," muttered the dark-haired woman, and Kira reacted with an outraged snort. "Okay, okay, you're right, something happened. I met Master Joris."  
  
"Master Joris? _Ambassador of Bonta_?!" Kira almost jumped with excitement. There were legends about this guy...!  
  
"I heard about only one" Jaga shrugged. "At least he presented himself as Master Joris. Never mind, in any case, he told me someone was looking for me. And if the alleged Ambassador Bonty found me, then surely they too. So today I'm leaving, just talk to Madame Litchi"  
  
"The old witch won't be happy," Kira muttered. "Okay, maybe you have no damned idea about dance and sing, but you're awesome actress and everyone can confirm that."  
  
"Thanks," the dark-haired girl smiled, a little wryly. She didn't value her stage skills so much "one last performance and I'm out of here"  
  
"And I dunno a damn thing" the Sram cultist nodded. Jaga smiled again, this time more friendly. It's good to have such a roommate.  
  
\------------  
  
Not without reason Port Mali was called the coastal Brakkmar. As soon as night fell, all the fishermen and merchants were fleening from their stalls and hiding in their homes to make space for the real rulers of this city- all those who lived from black magic, poisons, gambling, song and dance.  
  
Kira and Yaga worked in the Madame Litchi's cabaret, known as the "Palace of Stained Glass". The name was most accurate because wall from sea's side contained three circular stained glass windows, through which sunset light and moonlight came through.  
  
"Here you are, lazy monkeys!" snarled for a hello Madame Litchi, a mighty, slightly obese Pandadwa in costly robes and with huge fan in her hand, seeing her two subordinates "You supposed be here half an hour ago."  
  
"We were supposed to be at 18.45," Yaga remarked.  
  
"And it's 18.30," Kira said, looking at clock attached to the waist of a Xelor girl who was working with machinery at the backstreet.  
  
"DON'T TALK ME BACK!" The woman roared "To the dressing room and dress up, or I'll cut off your bonus!"  
  
"We have a bonus?" Kira was surprised, looking away from the clock.  
  
"You think so, remember this time when naphthalene balls appeared in the wardrobe? I think it was a bonus," the dark-haired reminded.  
  
"OOOOOUT!" Madame Litchi screamed, so Kira and Yaga quickly went out of her sight.  
  
\---------------  
  
Adamai, Ush, Remington and a man in the hood entered the Palace of the Stained Glass, where, as their agents had told them, they should now be looking for a girl. The interior of the cabaret was smoked with tobacco smoke and poorly lit. In one corner concentrated the seamen and fishermen, in another, city council (without the mayor, because he was new one and not accustomed to his profession yet), the priests of local denominations and, in the end, the tourists, including the emissaries of Lady Echo.  
  
"Are you sure it's here?" Adamai looked at Ecaflip uncertainly as he noticed one of the girls working here "What exactly this powerful sorceress does in here?"  
  
"She's some kind of actress," Ush said with a shrug. "Do you know how she looks like?"  
  
"Yes," nodded the young dragon and took a small portrait of wanted girl's face from the pocket of his cloak, "Better find some good observation point"  
  
The four strangers sat at the table by the stage, which was decorated... in a very specific way. Fog vapors, braided trees (artificial) and something like... a gravestones?  
  
Suddenly, the curtain went aside and a tall connoisseur, with cane in her hand, dressed in a suit and a top-hat entered the stage, but it was difficult to determine whether it was she or he.  
  
"Good evening, ladies and gentlemen" the announcer cocked their hat and proved beyond doubt that she was a woman. She had lightly tanned skin, short cut, white hair, brown eyes with a slight touch of red and a white skull painted on her face "Some people say that true art is defending itself. But not from me." Here she gave the audience a smile full of teeth "I will tell you the story from distant lands. About drama. Love. Passion. And extremely abominable, foul murder."  
  
"About what?!" Adamai wondered. He always thought that cabaret shows were rather... merry, not murderous.  
  
"Kira is a Sram's worshipper, she always gives such shows," Ush said, apparently familiar with the local program.  
  
"Get it, boys" the announcer murmured casually, not exactly to the audience, and the orchestra behind her firstly experimented with one chord on their instruments, and then they played the right melody. Kira waved her cane and opened her mouth " _Heey! Give me a listen you corpses of cheer, Leastles of you who still got an ear_ " Here she sent a meaningful glance to the group of sailors who hadn't some part of their bodies " _I'll tell you a story make a skeleton cry of our own jubiliciously lovely corpse bride!_ "  
  
From behind the curtain came out a rather short, almost morbid pale girl in a black like tar and a slightly torn wedding dress. Her eyes and forehead were covered by a black veil supported by flower crown made of crimson roses. She smiled broadly to the audience, as did her stage partner, showing a lot of teeth (some teases that it was a smile that shows her teeth and the teeth of the people next to her) and joined Kira.  
  
" _Die, die we all pass away!_ " The two artists cried out while dancing a faster version of waltz mixed with tango. " _But don't wear a frown cuz it's really okay!_ "  
  
" _And you might try 'n' hide!_ " the orchestra added " _And you might try 'n' pray!_ "  
  
" _But we all end up the remains of the Day!_ " the two girl finished.  
  
"Who is she?" Remington whispered, glaring at the ankles and calves that sometimes popped out of the skirt of the 'corpse bride'; He has not seen such nice ankles for a long time.  
  
"Our target," Adamai snapped, not paying attention to the show.  
  
"One hundred years more, and I would take that as a subtext" murmured their hooded companion, for which he got a punch in left side. With so many people around Adamai couldn't afford to hit his face, or something more painful.  
  
" _Well, our girl is a beauty known for miles around_ " the Sram's follower continued the recital and pantomime " _When a mysterious stranger came into Town. He's plenty good lookin', but down on his Cash, And our poor little baby, she fell hard and Fast_ " Here she stroked the cheek of her companion for what she got slap in her hand " _When her daddy said **no** , she just couldn't cope, So our lovers came up with a plan to elope!_"  
  
" _Die, die we all pass away!_ " This time the chorus was sung only by the orchestra and the girls started dancing again " _But don't wear a frown cuz it's really okay. And you might try 'n' hide, And you might try 'n' pray. But we all end up the remains of the Day!_ "  
  
Suddenly, the lights turned violet, and in the dimness appeared oddly thin figures swirling in the dance. After a while it turned out that they are girls with painted skulls on their faces and bones on arms, backs and chests. This Danse Macabre was led by the announcer and the corpse bride.  
  
\-----------------  
  
"Yaga, you're leadin' again," Kira observed, not interrupting the dance.  
  
"Really?" Yaga grinned. Sram also showed her teeth and they continued dancing. Some viewers tried to grab them and pull them off the stage, but some well-aimed kicks solved the problem.  
  
"Something's wrong with those four," Yaga muttered. With the veil on her face, no one saw where she was looking.  
  
"Those near the scene?" Kira also noticed them, but she tried not to stop the show "I know this Ecaflip, cheeky puppy, or kitten if You want to be exact, but the rest are new guys."  
  
"Two have a strange aura," whispered the dark haired female "I need to move"  
  
"To do" The Sram cultist discreetly handed a signals to female Xelor, operating the machines behind the stage. "How much time do you need?"  
  
"Twenty seconds," Jaga replied.  
  
"Okay," Kira nodded. "Now help me bend back, come on!"  
  
Yaga put her hand on Kira's waist in the cross region and helped her bend back and not fall over.  
  
"Oh, that's nice," Kira muttered, staring at the region a little below Yaga's neck, for what she was jokingly slapped in the cheek. "Hahaha! _So they conjured up a plan to meet late at night. They told not a soul, kept the whole thing tight. Now her mother's wedding dress fit like a glove, You don't need much when you're really in love. Except for a few things, or so I'm told Like the family jewls and a sachel of gold!_ " Here she caught Yaga for her wrist showing the audience a silver ring with a star sapphire, and she pulled Kira by the ear with a gold earring " _Then next to the grave yard by the old oak tree, On a dark foggy night at a quarter to Tyree. She was ready to go, but where was He?_ "  
  
" _And then?_ " one of the musicians asked.  
  
" _She waited_ " Kira answered.  
  
" _And then?_ " asked next two members of orchestra.  
  
" _There in the shadows, was it the man?_ "  
  
" _And then?_ " now it was whole band.  
  
" _Het little heart beat so loud!_ "  
  
" _And then?!_ " now almost whole audience was asking.  
  
" _And then, baby_ " Yaga's covered eyes looked at the audience " _everything went black._ "  
  
For a moment there was total darkness. The dancers disappeared. When the light came on again, only the bride and the announcer were on stage. The woman in the suit was holding her hands in front of her companion's eyes.  
  
" _Now when she opened her eyes she was dead as dust, Her jewls were missin' and her heart was bust._ " Kira took her hands and showed everyone Yaga's face. Several men and a few women sighed. With make-up and swirly paintings on the face and illuminated with the appropriate light she looked unearthly. And these eyes... Suddenly Jaga moved forward as if looking for someone in the audience " _So she made a vow lyin' under that tree That she'd wait for her true love to come set her free_ " The 'corpse bride' reached the end of the stage, to the table at which the Lady Echo's agents were sitting and crouched. Such little joke, provocation. Her attention was entirely devoted to the man in the hood. In its shadow she saw blue, swollen like drowned man's lips and something like... " _Always waiting for someone to ask for her hand When out of the blue comes this groovy young man_ " Before Yaga kissed these blue, slightly open lips, Kira quickly pulled her away from the table and started spinning her with her again. They were getting closer to center of stage " _Who vows forever to be by her side And that's the story of our own corpse briiiiiideeee!_ "  
  
The orchestra didn't even finish playing a tune when under Yaga opened up a hidden hatch and the girl disappeared under the stage leaving behind only her black dress, because its flounces entangled in the hinges.  
  
"What the…?!" Ush and Adamai rose from their seats.  
  
"Oops," Kira's smile said brightly, that there was no breakdown or accident at all.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> It's a last time when I put song in chapter. In that way, at least. It was more difficult than writing a normal story!
> 
> Song's title is "Remains of the Day" from Tim Burton's "The Corpse Bride". I noticed that this song sounds a little like a some kind folk ballad which you can sing everywhere if you planned everything in right way.


	5. Chapter 5

Adamai hardly restrained himself from throwing himself at the Sram cultist, who quickly disappeared behind the scenes. Suddenly, the young dragon sensed light vibrations under his feet; During the show, he looked at the signatures of the wanted girl's energy (he never saw such chaotic streams of Wakfu in any living entity) so he knew that she was under them now. And was running away.  
  
"Fine then," he growled and grabbed the hooded man by the throat. "Kerosho, your turn"  
  
"As you wish," answered the screechy voice from beneath the hood, and there was a cry of pain in the Palace of Stained Glass.  
  
\-------------------  
  
There was an escape route under the stage, so Yaga easily got out of the building, dressing up in something more comfortable during running. Now all she has to do is get on some transport to Bonta. It's easier to hide in a bigger city. And so-called "defenders of the krosmic balance" will worry her later.  
  
She managed to get to the harbor, a few blocks away from the cabaret, when her road blocked Masqueraider in ragged robes, armed with a chopper knife and a harpoon blade. The mask he had now on his face was twisted up in a spooky, toothed smile and cast a long, snake tongue that moved like a living creature.  
  
Slowly, moving like a puppet on strings, swaying from side to side, he took a step, the other, and then leapt forward, aiming the harpoon in her stomach and lifting the chopper high.  
  
"Holy…!" screamed the aghast fugitive and jumped backward, and the two blades resurrected sparks as they hit the pavement. The Masqueraider looked at the ground for a moment, then slowly raised his head and fixed his gaze on his victim, who raised her forearms covered with leather bracers. "Out of my way, you fucking Joker, you...!"  
  
Then a deep growl sounded behind her, and someone breathed out hot air at back of her neck. She turned around and immediately regretted it.  
  
The creature behind her was nearly two and a half meters tall and looked like a humanoid dragon, walking on two legs. He had white, matt scales, brown-yellow mane between horns, long beard of the same color, slightly blue lips and three eyes: a pair of empty, covered with a white membrane and a third one in the center of the forehead with a vertical pupil. Shushu, who has taken control over somebody. Wonderful.  
  
"I'll tell you this, dolly" said the voice from the 'dragon', but it did not come out of his mouth "This body barely holds on his feet and is quite old, so do him a favor and surrender immediately."  
  
"If this body is so weak," Yaga said, "why did you possess him?"  
  
"Not my decision" Shushu shrugged his shoulders. "Come on, put your hands behind back and we won't damage your face."  
  
"You can't make this phiz worse in any way" the girl snorted. "And about this... offer. Although I feel sorry for this guy you possessed... the answer is no"  
  
And before they could react, she threw a smoke bomb on the ground. A cloud of suffocating smoke filled the street, and Yaga quickly slipped out of their reach and climbed to the nearest roof. It has always been effective, avoiding most obstacles on ground.  
  
"No way!" someone grabbed her ankles and she fell from the roof to the pavement. This was this young Ecaflip from the cabaret. In addition, came the other two who were sitting with him at the table (Rogue and horned Albino), the Masqueraider and possessed one.  
  
"Has some fucking circus come to town, or what?" Yaga hissed furiously.  
  
"Lady Echo sends us," said the albino. "She has a mission for you"  
  
"Thanks, I already have one," the dark-haired replied.  
  
"Dancing in the cabaret?" Ecaflip snorted contemptuously.  
  
"Not only, showing You a finger is my mission" laughed Yaga "I don't like when somebody tries to commander me. And although usually I don't refuse to date with interesting person, tell your boss that if she won't leave me alone I will put a heavy car into her front door. I will see of what this front door will be"  
  
"We have a numerical advantage," said Rogue, taking out the pistol possessed by Shushu. What else people will come up with?  
  
"That doesn't mean that there are more of you," the girl noticed. Suddenly she saw something behind their backs "Master Joris!"  
  
As for the command, all attackers turned around. Of course Ambassador of Bonta wasn't there, and the girl quickly disappeared.  
  
"Shit" the Ecaflip cursed under his breath.  
  
\------------------  
  
Yaga never in her life ran so fast, and she had several personal records in her account. She wasn't going to get caught, there is no such option.  
  
Suddenly, The earth shuddered and through street pierced the roots and branches, on which stood the young female Sadida, from whom beamed such power, such energy...  
  
 _Maybe they have this circus_ , Yaga thought grimly and jumped back before one of the roots reached her.  
  
"Don't move!" the female Sadida roared, grinning maliciously. Insolent brat.  
  
"Yeah, and what else?!" the Dark-haired woman avoided further attacks.  
  
Suddenly, one climber wrapped around her leg and threw her against a wall. Then it caught her again and hit the girl against the pavement. And so twice. When Adamai and his group arrived, Yaga was already bruised and her clothes were torn. And she tried to get up of the sidewalk.  
  
"Alright, boys!" Laughed girl rose and raised her hands "You've got me!"  
  
Before she could say something more, few of them jumped and pinned her to the ground.  
  
"Knee from kidney, knee from kidney, _no_!" Yaga yelled at the Rogue.  
  
\-------------------  
  
Qilby awoke with a horrible headache and a stiff shoulder that was painfully twisted on his back. He lay on some wooden surface, which rocked slightly from side to side. Boat. He was aboard a boat. Or rather beneath the deck, judging by the dull light surrounding him.  
  
He breathed with some difficulty, probably through that damned collar on his throat. A Shushu posessed collar that could control him as it pleases. How low can you fall?  
  
"Hey, _lil' flower_ ," the old Eliatrop recognized the voice. It was this kid in black that Rushu imprisoned once. Well, congratulate you the freedom, kiddo. "You have a company. AUUU! My nose, she broken my nose! "  
  
"Serves you right, sunshine" laughed some girl. Moment, wait a sec.  
  
Qilby waited for a moment until the Rogue and his companion in the mask go away and left the prisoners alone. Then he looked at his new neighbor. She lay on her side, her arms folded on her back and her clothes torn. Long brown hair, light complexion, small growth, and those eyes... It was that cabaret girl,  
  
"So one of you was a prisoner," the girl sighed as she sat up and looked at the old Eliatrope. "Now that we're going in the same cart, maybe we should to know each other? I'm Yaga"  
  
"Qilby," the man said softly.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, here we have something like end of prologue of story and soon I will add chapters about life of Lady Echo's Brotherhood when they don't "protect the world" (funny, last time when I thought about them I saw Ultron from Marvel Movieverse. You know, this part with "You want protect the world, but You don't want it to change"). These new chapters will be slightly inspired by spoilers and trailers of 3rd season of Wakfu, but this story will be separated from canon events.
> 
> Before somebody ask about these two things: Firstly, No, Qilby won't be shipped with Yaga. For now. Secondly, I put Shushu possessed collar on Qilby's neck, because if in my story Qilby tries to restore Yugo's trust, he won't do anything against him. Conscious, at last. Mind control seemed as good solution in this case.


	6. Chapter 6

Lady Echo was sitting in her office and browsing the reports from her agents sent from various parts of Ankama. One from Bonta, very important. It seemed that Master Joris had returned to the white city with nothing and stayed at the Eliatrops' embassy for a while. He was a fool if he thought he can hide his life from everyone.  
  
The second major report was sent by Adamai from area of Port Mali. The young dragon was so darling, so willing to serve the Case... Rejected by his loved ones, he was ready for anything, just to not lose his new family. Just like dear Lacrima. They both lost their siblings and therefore they did what Echo asked them for.  
  
The woman read the message from the ivory dragon. They found the girl and they just went to the Cursed Citadel. Koresho possessed Qilby, but he hasn't to do too much. Kalmia, young Sadida, managed well. Lady Echo smiled and rubbed her hands together. Then she called one of her men. He was from The Ouginaks, but he wasn't a demigod like her.  
  
"Lucky, could you prepare cells in the second chamber?" Lady Echo asked him "Our guests will be here soon"  
  
"Yes, my Lady," Lucky bowed elegantly and walked out. The happy semi-goddess returned to the reports on her desk. Managing such an organization was not such pleasure.  
  
\-------------------  
  
Qilby wasn't sure, on a scale of one to ten, how much his situation had deteriorated. First they put a collar possessed by Shushu whose guardian was Adamai. Then Shushu took advantage of the weakness caused by his stay in the White Dimension and possessed him, turning into... something, he didn't remember for now. And now, he was under deck of some old, disgusting tub and his new companion was the girl they hunted, the Brotherhood of Forgotten, or what they were... and she insisted on... befriend. Okay, "befriend" is a too strong word. "Know each other better" fit here like a glove. She wasn't... annoying or too talkative... nor was she nosy, when he didn't want to touch a subject she didn't press. He just was away from the true world, full of so many sensations and people who are different from Yugo for too long. Maybe it was just 4 in this scale?  
  
"How long have you not slept?" She asked suddenly.  
  
"And how did you figure out that I don't sleep?" Qilby raised his eyebrow.  
  
"And thanks to those pretty bags under your eyes," Jaga showed the a little too long incisors in a slightly malicious smile.  
  
"You have me here" the old Eliatrop sighed.  
  
"So?" the girl continued to pushing.  
  
"Too many bad memories," Qilby said. "Good too, but..."  
  
"Painful like a damn? Well, welcome to the club," Yaga muttered, looking up at the ceiling.  
  
"If you start licking each other, I'll possess him right away!" Shushu threatened, and the pair of humanoids were stunned.  
  
"What the f...?!" the angry girl screamed.  
  
"Oh, Gods..." Qilby moaned, regreting that he can't catch his head with his both hands. Now it was decisively 11 in the scale.  
  
"I met many perverse demons, but you just beat them all!" Yaga growled.  
  
"Where did the idea come from?" Eliatrop looked suspiciously at the collar. Or rather squinted at him.  
  
"As far as I know, you, mortals, are thinking only about food, sex and possibly carnage of other people," the demon replied in a tone of specialist in subject of human nature.  
  
"It's difficult to disagree with this first and last," muttered Yaga reluctantly.  
  
"Okay, I've had enough of this love novel in the episodes." A young, dark-haired male Cra was approaching the deck. Yaga did not know him. Qilby remembered, with difficulity, that it was the captain of the ship who was waiting for Adamai and his companions after they put the Shushu on him.  
  
"Love novel?" Qilby repeatedly amazed. Why did they think he was interested in this... this... this child?! Okay, that disgusting demon could come to this conclusion after what happened in the cabaret, but that damn elf...!  
  
"Mademoiselle…" The Cra helped Yaga get up and she stepped on his foot "Ouch! Why, the hell?!"  
  
"Madame, if you have to" Yaga replied "And don't think I didn't notice where you want to lay your hand, luve"  
  
Qilby snorted softly under his breath. It was getting interesting.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> I'm sorry, I'm sorry, it's so fucked up...! Dishonor on me, dishonor on my brother, dishonor on my cat...! I swear, next chapters will be better.


	7. Chapter 7

The Brotherhood of Forgotten (sometimes called The Siblings) had many hiding places around the globe; Wherever there were people and centers of worship of any of the Twelve Deities there were also agents of the Brotherhood.  
  
The cursed Citadel was a very old military garrison, probably Bonta's, judging from the fact that it was built of white stone, abandoned long time, ago before The Ogrest Chaos. In addition, the fortress was attacked by nature to such level an extent that the structure was only lasted thanks to roots, trunks and stems. No one knew why the citadel was deserted, but Toxine, the daughter of god Sram, claimed that it could have something to do with the corpses in the foundation of the fortress (she didn't specify how has she learnt about corpses and how big is this unofficial necropolis).  
  
One of the advantages of the citadel was the extensive network of underground dungeons and tunnels. Some have been left by the former residents, others- have been dug by the Brotherhood for various reasons. As a result of these efforts, a number of escape tunnels were built, fourteen ready and five more still in progress. Another advantage was that no one approached it. Out of fear.  
  
Agents of the Brotherhood and their prisoners descended from the ship, moored in a small cove near the Citadel, and headed for the ruins. The Citadel hasn't a main gateway from some time, so it was easy to enter the courtyard but to be in the proper chambers belonging to the Brotherhood, you needed to know the right entrance to the tunnels.  
  
Ush walked over to the well in the middle of the courtyard and pulled a hover under a canopy that once protected water from pollution that might have fallen with rain. There was a metallic cracking sound, indicating that some hidden mechanism was working. The whole well shook and the stone blocks from which the well's encasing was built slid down to form stairs leading to the hollows in the walls of the tubular column*.  
  
"Abandon all hope- You Who Enter Here" muttered Yaga under her breath as she looked down. The Brotherhood's agents and Qilby looked at her in astonishment. "What?"  
  
"Pretty poetic... Are you a poet?" the male Cra asked, smiling coquettishly.  
  
"God, save me from this!" The girl replied, "Poems about suffering caused by drinking would not be too deep, though... There was a poet who wrote a poem about carrion for his lover"  
  
"You can't be serious" the male Cra felt his jaw dropping down.  
  
" _Fleurs du Mort_... Or something like this, I never was good in this" Yaga uncovered her teeth and gums in a wide smile. The shock of everyone here clearly was her source of pleasure.  
  
"Robin," Adamai snapped, "stop flirting with everything that moves."  
  
"I'm not flirting with everything that moves" Robin the Cra said with a smile. "I'm flirting with every **girl** who moves. That's the difference"  
  
Adamai rolled his eyes; Robin sometimes was driving him mad. Hedonistic, irresponsible...!  
  
"Take the old man downstairs" growled Ush to his subordinates who were holding Qilby.  
  
"And what with the girl?" Remington raised an eyebrow.  
  
"Lady Echo wants to talk to her. Kalmia, she's yours"  
  
"Yes, sir" snapped the young Sadida briefly, and pulled Yaga with her into one of the tunnels.  
  
\------------------------  
  
"Alright. If you showed me a photo of your boss lady at the very beginning I wouldn't be so stubborn" Lady Echo figured that her "guest" was standing in the doorway- the girl from nowhere, called Yaga. The half-goddess glanced at the slim figure watching her silhouette in a black dress. And she had to admit that Kalmia has done great job.  
  
After fighting the agents and later traveling by boat, Yaga was a bit... rumpled, so young Sadida helped her to put herself together. After the bath, Lady Echo's guest got a new outfit: a dark blue tunic, brown trousers and black boots, and Kalmia added a little of eyeshadow... and probably a little powder on her cheeks. It could be a trifles, but they made Yaga look more feminine. And more pleasing for the Demigoddess's eye, by the way.  
  
"Forgive me for the incompetence of my people... and their brutality. Most are simple people and don't have too much subtlety" Lady Echo smiled friendly (or at least she hoped it was a friendly smile). "I'd like to recompense it to you somehow. Please sit down, dear"  
  
The green-skinned woman pointed to one of the chairs at the table in center of chamber carved out in rock. Yaga smiled, a bit crooked. _Respect for your subordinates is the key to their loyalty_ , as her teacher used to say. So if someone talked about their people like Echo did, the red light came on in the girl's head immediately, and some voice (oh, she knew well whose it was) was whispering _Watch out_. Besides everything in Echo and her people was somewhat suspicious. Shushu collar to force someone to obey? It was dangerously close to slavery.  
  
"From what I've heard, Lady Echo, you want my... talents to be part of your big Case," Yaga began. "But... I have no idea what that Case is. I prefer to know what kind of mark I will get if I agree"  
  
"Of the liberator, my dear. One of many" Echo responded calmly, pouring a wine for herself and her guest. "Our Brotherhood wants to liberate the people of this world."  
  
"How do you want to do this? In the name of what ideals?" Yaga tried to ignore this _my dear_ part. "No offense, Madame, but I've heard about many people who were called liberators of the people... and most of them have died in pain, often with the help of the previously mentioned people"  
  
"Oh, really?" The Brotherhood's leader raised her eyebrow. She didn't believe her.  
  
"Not all of them were dicks, of course" she sighed. "But do you really think people care who is going to burn at the stake?"  
  
"We can't be killed, just like that," Echo laughed, revealing her sharp fangs.  
  
"Right, the demigods," jagged Yaga. "But if You want to do something, very, very much, one day you are gonna to do this. And you still haven't answered my question. What Your case is?"  
  
"Does anyone who leaves their own children sentencing them to eternal loneliness and condemnation on the part of their environment deserves to rule anything or anybody?" Lady Echo's good mood suddenly disappeared.  
  
Of course. The main problem of the vast majority of the demigods. Why the heck did she even ask at all?!  
  
"You want to push them off the pedestal," Yaga muttered. "Destroy the worship of The Twelve Gods. And take their place, don't you? Who is the better successor of the old gods than their offspring?"  
  
"Oh, you're so smart..." The demigoddess was smiling again. Yaga was pretty sure that in this moment she smelled too strong scent of Vaseline "Powerful, unique and smart. You will be a wonderful sister. All you have to do is agree. So how will it be?"  
  
Funny. Yaga could swear she heard it somewhere.  
  
"Generally, I have always supported left-wing anarchism, in some way, of course" the dark-haired girl sighed. "Especially this part where governments and religions are no more, so your case is a little close to me. And my answer is...

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Okay, my description probably didn't give You a good image of this construction so... I was inspired by the Initiation Wells in portuguese Quinta da Regaleira.


	8. Chapter 8

The air in cave under the Citadel was heavy and stuffy from moisture. In addition, it was the evening and without a sea breeze didn't blow towards a land at all. The situation was not easy with a small lake over which hung his cage made of thick bamboo shoots. Because the only opening that let in fresh air was from the west, the last sharp rays of sunlight came in with warmth and caused the water to evaporate from the pool and plants growing between the gray and black rocks.  
  
Qilby leaned his forehead against one of the wooden rods and tried to catch the normal rhythm of his breath. With so heavy air and a collar on his throat it was not an easy task. May the devil take Adamai to his damned for eternity Dofus. Yugo doesn't need to know that.  
  
His guard, the strange canine creature named Lucky, probably also was cursing somebody now. Judging by the frequency of his panting, he also suffered because of bad atmosphere of the cave. Suddenly, the dog guard stopped pant and listened.  
  
"No way! She refused?!" The canine looked in amazement at the entrance to the cave, where two guards in ragged robes dragged Yaga, who was whistling joyfully some melody.  
  
 _"No," Yaga said with a smile.  
  
"What?" Echo blinked, not believing her own long ears._  
  
"Sometimes you have to," the girl grinned as two guards pushed her into the second bamboo cage and closed its floor. Then began to pull the bamboo cylinder up until Yaga was on the same level as Qilby.  
  
 _"All this fun of yours smells like radicalism to me" explained the dark-haired gir. "I'm not radical. And such big change at the top is not something that you can just carry out. Unless you have a dead planet somewhere"_  
  
"Although I might have offended her with one comment..." Yaga rubbed her chin, pretending she's deeply concerned "I never was good at compliments"  
  
 _"I advise you to think again" now Lady Echo didn't even tried to be polite._  
  
"Sorry, **dear**. The only one... talent I can offer you is the ability to massage tense muscles" the girl replied insolently, and her brows danced full of subtexts dance.  
  
"Did you really say that?!" Lucky felt his jaw dropping.  
  
"What can I do? She's an attractive woman, and probably it's not the only one of her qualities." Yaga leaned against the grating and shrugged. "I hoped that if we can't cooperate, we would try to know each other better."  
  
Previously Qilby just suspected it, but now he was sure. This girl was, beyond any doubt, crazy because she wasn't stupid for sure. And bringing everyone to the brink of endurance gave her some perverse pleasure. And if so, how was she still alive?!  
  
\------------------------------  
  
"Is everything all right, Sister?" Adamai looked at Lady Echo's back. The woman stood leaning against the window sill in her office and stared grimly at the gray, turbulent sea.  
  
"I admit that I had excessive hopes," she sighed, "that damned fools have discouraged her. I don't think a girl who has made fifteen people crippled, and killed five others really was against radical solutions. We need to attract her somehow"  
  
"I'm afraid the cage will not help us. And we don't have other collar," the young dragon noted.  
  
"By the way, why did you insist on setting Shushu collar on your own relative?" Echo looked at Adamai with corner of her eye "Why didn't you want me to try persuasion on him?"  
  
"Because Qilby is a plain liar, and a clever manipulator. He can wrap anybody around his finger and use them unscrupulously" snarled the ivory dragon grimly clenching his fists. The woman noticed that her 'little brother' is trembling. She only heard gossip about who he was and what the false Eliotrop King has done, but the details of what has happened between him and Adamai and Yugo were covered in mystery. "I didn't want to ruin our plans if he would become a formal member of the Brotherhood."  
  
"I see," oh, Echo knew perfectly well that there was also another reason; Adamai was furious at the thought that his twin brother had allowed the traitor so close to himself and his family. The ivory dragon wanted to be sure that Qilby wouldn't try to drag anyone, Eliatrop, dragon, or ordinary person to his side. "Thank you for being so concerned about the Brotherhood, brother Adamai."  
  
And she put her forehead against the young dragon's. It was a sign of sympathy and concern. Like Yugo, Adamai was still, to some extent, a child. Breaking the fresh bond also weakened him. But he had the support of beings who understood this pain perfectly.  
  
"LADY ECHO!!!" A completely frightened guard came to the office, and Echo and Adamai quickly moved away from each other. The man couldn't say anything more, because a small stone on the string came from behind, struck him in the back of his head and left him unconscious.  
  
And in the door stood a tall woman with short white hair, dark complexion and purple eyes, in which was burning a real hellfire. Her hands were on her hips, her legs wide, her jaw protruding aggressively forward. On her face was painted a skull- a symbol of God Sram, who she certainly worshiped.  
  
"I will only ask once: where is this witch?" Kira snarled, knocking her heel against the floor. What miraculously mixed with the sound of a storm coming from the sea.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Okay, before somebody will have such wonderful idea: I'm NOT shipping Adamai and Lady Echo!!! For me their relationship can be like sister/brother or mother/son (considering that Adamai and Yugo never had one) not lovers. (but it's my opinion, if you like such pairing it's your thing, I wash my hands of this).
> 
> Sorry for cliffhagger (again).
> 
> P.S.  
> Sorry for these short flashbacks on the beginning of chapter but I had home movie night with Guy Ritchie's films and... well, in few of his films there is such strange narration: present, short flashback and present again.


	9. Chapter 9

Yaga generally didn't have anything against storms. Provided she wasn't within their reach and they did not steal roofs over her head.  
  
Or did not throw a wooden cage in which she was closed. And every collision with bamboo shoots created new bruises on her body. Her "cell" colleague had an identical problem. Of course, their guard ran away.  
  
At some point, with another strong jerk, a strange, white hat with long ears (or maybe it was horns?) fell from his head, showing greasy, dirty-yellow hair and... a pair of shining, blue wings.  
  
 _Oy, It has to be this last jerk_ Yaga started to touching her head to find a bump.  
  
"Don't look!" Qilby yelled while trying to hide the oddity on his own and raise his white hat in this same time.  
  
"I can not see anything, totally nothing!" The girl covered her eyes to prove the truth of her words. About the things that can't be showed to others she knew pretty well. She would even boast a few of them if... well.  
  
"All right, now you can," the man hissed, correcting the hat's horns on his wings. Yaga took her fingers from her face.  
  
"What's with your lips? This color is from swelling or some cure?"  
  
"From swelling, but it will soon disappear," muttered Qilby.  
  
Yaga would gladly continue the subject (since it was not marked as forbidden), but then another huge blast of wind came through the grotto, which threw the girl's cage at Qilby's. There was a burst of cracking wood, two surprised screams, then a loud splash and characteristic, empty noises when the bamboo fell down on the rocks.  
  
"It could have been worse," muttered Qilby as he and Yaga managed to get their heads out of the water. Then something roared behind the "window" of the cave and a two prisoners has been attacked by gigantic amounts of sea water.  
  
"Oh, seriously?!" Yaga squealed as they reached the lake's surface again "I don't know about your scientific findings, but remember: 'When you ask the Universe what else can go fuckin' wrong, one thing is sure. IMMEDIATE ANSWER'!"  
  
"BUT I SAID THAT COULD BE WORSE, NOT WHAT CAN GO WRONG!" protested the Eliatrop, tugging his hat on for the second time that day.  
  
"THE UNIVERSE DOESN'T FUCKIN' CARE, FOR IT THIS IS EXACTLY SAME THING!" Yaga roared, then she narrowed her eyes. "But your version is a variant of optimists."  
  
"WHAT'S GOIN' ON HERE?!" Shouted a feminine voice from the door.  
  
"Hi, Kira," Yaga grumbled, and she was about to continue to quarrel with Qilby when something came to her. "What...?"  
  
The surprised girl looked toward the entrance to the cave. There was a slightly irritated Echo, Adamai with erect scales on his tail, scared Robin and angry Kira.  
  
"Oh, you already know each other!" nothing better came to Yaga's mind.  
  
\-------------  
  
 _About half an hour and 20 curses later..._  
  
"Let me make it clear" Qilby raised his eyebrow, trying to keep his teeth from jingling. "As soon as we ran after Yaga, you took off your stage dress, ran behind us, you found her bag and... repeat the last part, please"  
  
"I quickly bought the boat and started rowing after you," Kira said, shrugging her shoulders. "Unfortunately, it started to leak and that's why I came with such a delay"  
  
"That is possible at all?" Adamai frowned. The thing was Robin's ship was fast.  
  
"There are things in the Universe that philosophers, physiologists, and people visiting tax offices haven't dreamed about, dear" Yaga muttered, smiling from the corner of her mouth. And shaking from the cold from head to toe.  
  
"Changing the subject," Echo snapped, putting her hands on her hips. "What can I do with her? I can't throw her away..."  
  
"Just try it, sunshine" Kira said.  
  
"...because she knows the location of the Cursed Citadel" the woman didn't even notice her "Unless... Can we talk for a moment?"  
  
"Be careful, she uses the tricky questions," Yaga whispered.  
  
"We can" Sram's venerable answered "Only one cute little thing, Yaga, your bag"  
  
And she gave her friend's leather backpack, which looked as if it had been made of a random pieces of fabric (mainly in the dark colors). Surprised Yaga opened it and looked inside. Her face was filled with a wide smile.  
  
"Echo..." Yaga put her hand on the demigoddess' shoulder, ignoring her angry glance, "I think I can do for you more than massage... But that doesn't mean you can't ask for one."  
  
\-------------------  
  
Echo conducted a brief environmental interview with Kira and ordered Robin to take her... somewhere, Yaga didn't hear it. Then Adamai grabbed Qilby by his hair (and part of neck) and pulled him into one of the tunnels that led deeper down, and Lady Echo clenched her fingers at Yaga's elbow and dragged her (with the bag) up the stairs to the higher "floor".  
  
This part was one of the original parts of the fort, judging by the parallel stone blocks that pierced through a dense moss. But Yaga couldn't take a closer look at them (shame, because at the moss were some really interesting plants and mushrooms), because Echo led her to the door, which looked like a new.  
  
It was a large, brightly lit training room with wooden floors and large windows without glass. Near wall opposite to the door stood: Ush, Kali (the daughter of Goddess Sacrier), Toxine and son of Goddess Feca. And they stared intensely at the dark-haired girl.  
  
"My dears, it's Yaga," said the woman."She has some extraordinary skills that I would like to check out. Have fun" Echo smiled maliciously and left Yaga alone with a group of demigods.  
  
"Damn it," Yaga muttered under her breath.  
  
\-----------------------  
  
Adamai dragged Qilby to a place where was terribly cold. The drenched man shuddered and jingle his teeth. Death from pneumonia, that on the list of deaths didn't have yet!  
  
"It's here," the ivory dragon snapped, removing the thick white winter coat from hanger, next to the silver metal door on which winter motives were and... a frost? Adamai reached for one of the silver snowflakes on the door and turned it first to the right and then to the left. Qilby watched the door with fascination. Once, many centuries ago, he designed such door to the mausoleum of the Firstborn Eliatropes, so that no one could steal their Dofus. Then he and Chibi installed such in their workshops.  
  
There was a mechanical clang and the door opened. A cold fog spilled from the inside. Qilby looked at Adamai doubtfully, and the young dragon pushed him to the room, giving him a cloak.  
  
Count Harebourg's laboratory was amazing. And bloody cold. In some places, a thin layer of snow was visible. All documents and delicate devices were properly protected from cold. The room was illuminated with some white crystals. All instruments and machines were constructed of silver (or very similar, but stronger metal) and sometimes adorned with star sapphires. Everything was carefully and precisely designed. Harebourg was a true master in his profession.  
  
"Beautiful," whispered Qilby, touching the unfinished clockwork owl lying on the table. "But what does that have to do with me?"  
  
"We lost the only good scientist," growled Adamai, avoiding telling in what circumstances it has happened to. "Lady Echo wants you to look through his notes and make use of what you have in this sick head of yours"  
  
"It was your mistress who finished him," the old Eliatrop muttered amused.  
  
"Not your business," whispered the ivory dragon, grabbing his hair, but this time he let go quickly enough.  
  
"If you say so..." Qilby grinned so wide that Adamai saw his wisdom teeth. "The door is open, so use them and go out"  
  
"How dare you…?!" Adamai felt a fireball rise in his throat.  
  
"If I have to work with these I need peace and silence," Qilby said calmly, without stopping to expose his teeth. "And you would not know what that was, even if you were kicked in your tail by it. So out"  
  
Adamai's whole body was shaking with fury, but he slammed shut the door. Qilby chuckled and placed the notes left by the previous laboratory's owner on the only free desk. Suddenly he frowned.  
  
"Okay, come out," the scientist growled angrily, and the Masqueraider emerged from the shadowed corner. Qilby remembered that he had three masks and now had this looking like a skull with fangs and mane of colorful feathers. The masked man didn't have a coat to protect him from the cold. It looked like He did not even feel the effect of the negative temperature. Qilby couldn't see his eyes, but he knew that the Masqueraider was staring at him intensely.  
  
 _Wonderful, now I have a nanny_ , the Eliatrop thought angrily, and began studying the Count's scientific projects.  
  
\------------------  
  
After an hour, an hour and half later Echo decided to check what's with Yaga. She locked up all the drawers in her office and went down several floors below. The first thing that disturbed her was a new door that was balanced from hinges and thrown out, into the corridor. Among its broken remains unconscious Kali was laying. The longitudinal wounds on her forearms were slowly healed*. Disturbed Echo slipped into the room, which she quickly regretted.  
  
The training room looked like after a cataclysm; equipment and mannequins shattered, on the walls and floor appeared traces of burns (from where?). Ush lay in the corner, stuck under the remains of training dummies. Toxine was entangled in the net and tried to free herself, cursing furiously.  
  
And Yaga, half lying, twisted the hands of kneeling young Feca back holding his wrists and pinning the toes of her feet between his shoulderblades.  
  
"I, fuckin', love this job!" She laughed loud and cheerfully, ignoring Echo's face expression.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * I have such theory: if this liquid which Sacrier warriors use is called "Sacrier's Blood", then maybe her daughter, Kali can control her own blood? Just a theory. Nothing more.
> 
> Sorry for a lack of concrete action, it will be in next chapter. And sorry for a spoilers to Season 3 of Wakfu, I heard that there will be a young woman named Kali, who is Sacrier Goddess' daughter.


	10. Chapter 10

Since Adamai brought Lady Echo new allies/soldiers/prisoners/pets (delete what You want), it has been a week (and three days). Kira was quite fast in teaming up with Kalmia, Robin and Lucky. They frowned at the fact that their new acquaintance did not want to give up her religion, but Kira claimed that death was the only sure thing in life. Yaga, besides conducting the sparring with the demigods (apart from Echo, Adamai, the Iop and a small blue-eyed girl), was involved in the production of some sort of specifics that, as she claimed, kept her alive ("You have two options, _my dear_. You will agree and I will be a good, nasty reptile, or you will not agree, I'll end up drugs and I will die, and it's hard to find another shit of my species"). There was also suspicion that she was doing some mysterious rituals there (but for who?), but no one caught her during the act yet. And Qilby...

"AAAACHOOO!" The Eliatrope sneezed with such force that the hood of the protective mantle slipped off his head, scarcely taking his hat down also, and the laboratory glass clattered on the shelves and tables.

"For God's sake, go to a medic or something!"roared Yaga with all her kindness while sitting in her new lab, right next to (of course) the Count's laboratory (now Qilby's).

"I can't!" Qilby screamed equaly kindly as he put his hood back "I've got a job to do!"

 _One of the symptoms of an approaching nervous breakdown is the belief that one's work is terribly important_ , Yaga sighed mentaly, and she said aloud:

"They don't acknowledge a sick notes here?!"

"Go back to your task, woman!"

"Go to a medic!"

And the show was going on, over and over again.

* * *

After the next three hours, Qilby was completely frozen and couldn't even tease with Yaga. Fortunately, it alarmed her, because it could have been much worse. With the force she entered to the lab (the Masqueraider guarding the scientist happened to disappear somewhere) and carried Qilby on her back to Robin's cave, where at least was warm.

Robin, Kalmia, Lucky, the "Nameless" Maskarad and (recently) Kira were one of the many Brotherhood's operating teams and, as one of the most effective ones, were given a small set of egg-shaped caves under the Cursed Citadel, which served as their sleeping quarters with large central grotto as a living room.

Yaga lifted Qilby on her shoulders to release one hand and knocked to the round wooden door.

"What?!" snarled Kalmia from other side.

"A bowl of broth, for a poor, unfortunate soul!" Yaga replied.

"Bleah" announced Qilby, who scorned a broth as an dishonor to the noble art of preaparing a meat.

"And a little water with soap, for the other, sweaty soul could wash herself..." Then the door opened wide and there was Robin smiling wide.

"Be our guest*," said cheerfully the dark-haired Cra.

* * *

In some places, magic is extremely anxious and sensitive to the emotions of beings able to contact with Her. It was therefore logical that by the presence of so many demigods and the burning anger of the one ivory dragon, the energy in the Cursed Citadel was... unstable. Lady Echo did her best to neutralize this 'hiccup'. She began to send some demigods to other hideouts or to the Tower of Dreams, something like the Brotherhood's headquarters. But the most pressing problem was Adamai. Whoever was his mother, this whole Goddess, gave her offspring a big, raw power that slipped out of control, mainly thanks to the young dragon's relative. Qilby and Adamai hated each other and any of them intended to give up. The wisest way out was to teach the ivory dragon greater self-control. Something that Grougarolagan and Balthazar apparently neglected. But who said that all dragons are reasonable?

"Focus, brother Adamai," whispered Lady Echo, while the multicolored ribbons of magic flowed between her and the young ivory dragon. They sat together on the floor of her office and tried to master the magic of the Eliatrope Goddess in body of one from her sons. "Calm your emotions, control anger. The key to full control over your power, yours and your sisters and brothers is serenity. Complete serenity..."

"Lady Echo!" A guard with a bandaged head came into the office (it was the same one Kira knocked out last week) with a scroll in his hand.

" **What now?!** " the furious woman roared, spreading her unmatching wings, and her yellow eyes glowing scary.

"I'm-... I'm-... I'm sorry, my lady!" The unlucky soldier crouched before the daughter of the goddess Eniripsa. "But an important report from the South came and...!

"Which post?" Echo interrupted him, trying to calm herself down and hide her emotions, but a note of anxiety crept into her cool voice .

"Dragon Mausoleum," the man rasped and handed his Mistress a scroll sealed stamped with wax seal with the post symbol. The wax was black, which, according to the Brotherhood's findings, meant the highest priority information. The last time they used these markings in the news was when Master Joris set out to look for the six Eliatrope Dofus.

Lady Echo quickly opened the message and began to read. With every sentence her eyes grew wider and wider. No, that could not happen... Not now! But He warned her that something like that exists and might reveal itself sometime. And their spy in the Suffokatian research team just confirmed this. But why now? Now when Pandora's Box was almost complete?! That could change completly force arrangement!

"We are the closest," she whispered, then looked at the guard and worried Adamai, "Brother, I have to talk to you in private"

The guard quickly escaped, and Echo made sure no one was listening near her door.

"It has to stay between us, Adamai," the woman said softly. "It can be a very bad turn of events..."

* * *

"Bleah" snapped Qilby, sending a bowl of broth on his lap a particularly disgusted look.

"Eat, not complain" Yaga jagged washing her neck "Or I plug your nose like a little brat's and I pour this soup right into your throat"

"Just try it" the Eliatrope bared his incisors, but he reached for a spoon and began to eat slowly (of course, making faces). Yaga's face filled in with a triumphant smile.

"Tell me..." Robin sat down next to the dark haired "With Kira we explained the Thing... And I'd like to know... how is it with you and..."

"If you're wondering if I'm inclined to come in with you in a more intimate relationship that's likely to end up with some kind of party on your mattress..." Yaga sighed heavily like the person who had been in such a situation so many times that she could calmly guess what Robin wanted to say to her even before he will think about it "the answer is no."

"Damn, woman, are you refusing everyone?" now Robin was pissed when he suddenly remembered something "I'm too low in the hierarchy for You?"

"That I was trying to seduce your boss-lady doesn't mean I was planning to go to bed with her!" Yaga snapped "That was a joke. When I see someone as rigid as an accountant in a gypsum I must mock! Loose the atmosphere! Otherwise I would go crazy. Now you follow?"

"Okay, good, you wanted to make a fun of Lady Echo... But what about me? What are your reasons to say no?"

"Put it that way... I have no problem with your appearance. You are also likable person, or at least I see you so... But I am temporarily resting from relationships. We understand each other?"

"Oh... Was he mean? Abusive?"

"First: it was she. And no, nobody hit anyone. It just... it didn't work out"

Robin may not have noticed this, but Qilby sensed a slight tremor in her voice. Contrary to what she said, her forward relationship didn't just 'work out'. Something went wrong, terribly damn wrong.

"Get up!" screamed, who suddenly appeared at the door. Everyone jumped up. "Robin, prepare your ship! Rest, pack up! You too, Traitor" here he looked with disgust at Qilby.

"Wait, what?!" Robin approached the young dragon with a sharp resentment on his face "What 'prepare the ship'?! This is my property and I will tell you when it can go on a cruise!"

"That's an order, not suggestion" that was the dragon's last word in this case and he walked away "You have one hour"

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> * Sorry, Guys, I couldn't stop myself! XD
> 
> Finally, a next chapter I promised You to add shortly after my return from Italy. Well, I hope I manage to do this before deadline, which Your patience gave me. Next one will be rather short. I will also try to add some parts focused on other characters, because I suck when I have to deal with too many characters and guess what I'm doing EVERY. F*CKING. TIME. When I'm writing something. I create more characters than I can handle.
> 
>  
> 
> I'm some kind of goddamnit masochist.


	11. Chapter 11

Robin hated the orders. Lady Echo knew it well and didn't force him to take part in the action if he didn't want to. So the behavior of the Ivory Eliatrope Dragon made him in a particularly nasty mood. He was growling at anyone who approached him and circled the lower deck, officially looking for potential leaks in the hull of his beloved _Amanda_.

"Don't torture yourself like this" Kalmia came down to the deck. Robin knew it was her because her infected leg was tapping every time she stepped. "It's probably some kind of extraordinary circumstance, since Lady Echo asked us to sail South."

"This dragon is driving me crazy," the Cra snapped, leaning against one of the barrels. "He treats us like rubbish. Echo, even if she doesn't see us as equal, then at least keeps appearances"

"She's a Goddess Eniripsa's daughter. I haven't seen a mean Eniripsa in my life yet."

"And those who denied you a cure?"

"They weren't directly mean" Kalmia rolled her eyes (or rather her eye, because the second was woody). Robin laughed softly and ruffled her green hair.

"I don't want to be this biased one, but watch out for Kira," Cra said. "She seems nice, but she looks at You a bit too often for my taste"

"Do you have a problem with her... preferences?" the girl raised her eyebrow.

"No, no," Robin shook his head. "It's not this... You're seventeen. I prefer you to wait, okay?"

"People say everyone is developing at their own pace"

"But a little more waiting will not hurt"

"Mask?" Kalmia looked over his shoulder. Robin turned and saw Masquerade with a skull mask on his face. The other two were tied to his waist. The masked man was walking crooked, a bit like a wild animal.

"Ah, that's where you hid," Robin sighed. "Kalmia, go check our crew and their packing. I will come to you"

The young Sadida nodded and returned to the main deck. Two men were left alone.

"Echo told you to watch over this Qilby guy, right?" Robin muttered. The Masqueraider nodded slowly. "Okay. You have to keep doing it. I don't know how much of what is said about him is true, but I don't intend to risk"

Mask just nodded again.

* * *

Adamai shoved Qilby into Lady Echo's office and left him alone with the female leader of the Brotherhood. The woman sat on the counter of her desk and watched the Eliatrope carefully.

"Inventor," she said quietly, coming closer.

"No one called me that from a long time," Qilby muttered, flicking his new shirt.

"I was informed that You have been able to finish a project begun by the Count." Lady Echo put one hand on his shoulder, and with another she lifted his chin slightly, forcing him to look at her. She was slightly taller than him.

"Yes," said the Eliatrope sciencist with a heavy sigh, pulling out three small orbs from his pocket. "Your man had problems with miniaturization. He did not have the proper knowledge and skill. I built a few sets. And you don't need a second set at the place you want to get"

"And how to set a destination?" the Eniripsa took the orbs from his hand.

"Just focus on it," said Qilby.

"Very well" Echo hid the device into an unseen pocket in her dress "I want you to go with them. Instead of brother Adamai. We will need him here. And you... what raises our fears is something from your specialization, if I'm not mistaken"

"Yes, usually my specialization is something what I never heard about, name including" the man snapped with sarcasm, putting his hand on his hip. Then the woman's long fingers catched his throat and the floor dissapeared from beneath his feet.

"Enough," the Eniripsa hissed, her eyes glowing with intense purple. "The situation is serious and I don't have time to play any little games, do we understand?

"F-f-fine..." Qilby rasped, chocking. Then Echo smiled and gently set him on the ground.

"Wonderful" the woman murmured in a much more friendly tone, but despite this Qilby shivered "And now let's go to the business"

* * *

Robin's slender junk ship sailed out of the bay at the Cursed Citadel around noon, when the sun was in the zenith. The Bratherhood's agents were working on the deck intensively like ants... Besides the captain and the two captives.

"Seriously?" Yaga raised an eyebrow with amusement when Robin closed the door of a small cell, below the deck near the stern, behind her. In the cage next door was Qilby, strangely silent from the conversation with Echo.

"Not my idea," Robin sighed and looked at Kira, who was leaning against the door frame and carefully watching him. "No, really, not mine.

"Easy, dude, I'm not saying anything" Kira raised her hands up, but everyone knew she was not happy. Robin just rolled his eyes.

"I'll let you out when we're some distance from the mainland," he said to his 'guests' "Order from a top, you can say. Kira, watch over them, please. See you in three hours"

And he went upstairs. There was an awkward silence. Yaga leaned against the wooden wall of her cell and took a small pipe from her pocket and a packet of herbs. Kira handed her a matches and when dark-haired wanted to regale her a pipe, the Sram refused. Qilby sat down in the corner of his cell and wrapped himself in a blanket lying on the straw mat.

"So..." Yaga inhaled a large portion of smoke and blew it toward the ceiling. "Qilby... How are you doing with this gent in the mask? I ask, because you two are still in this lab of yours and you gossip about the devil know what...

"Seriously?" annoyed Qilby mimicked the earlier statement of the dark-haired, which caused laughter from both ladies.

* * *

The mole in the Brotherhood was a good idea. The bribed soldier warned master Joris that one of the squads has been sent by Lady Echo to the South, to a place called the Dragon Mausoleum. It was impossible to get there using the Zaaps, only by sea. The informant didn't know what was the target of the Siblings, but the mission was said to have been given the highest priority, and the group included the Port Mali girl and the Eliatrope scientist.

Although the Ambassador of Bonta cared for the time, he could not disappear from the city just like that. It wasn't so easy. First, he warned his king that he would not be there for a while, and then... he went to a much more dangerous meeting.

"How much time this mission requaries?" Asked the young woman in blue robes. She and Joris were sitting in a small library, at the Eliatrope embassy, and drank a herbal tea. The hands of them both were shaking slightly.

"I don't know, my Lady," Master Jurgen inclined his head and stared at the table top. "As much as it have to, I'm afraid"

"I understand," murmured Mrs. Ambassador, chewing on her lips. "I would like to go with you, Master Joris... But Yugo, my king needs me... The last events..."

"I understand it and I respect it." Joris nodded and put down his cup of tea on the table. "Forgive me, my Lady, but I have to go now"

"Please, visit me when you come back," she asked, kissing him in the forehead. "Otherwise, I'll be very disappointed"

"Naturally," the Ambassador of Bonta nodded and kissed his Lady too. "See you soon, my Goddess."

"Goodbye, my Dragon..."

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> So here we go, Guys, the adventure has begun!
> 
> Mrs. Ambassador Alys the Generous belongs to WishingStarinaJar from Deviantart, who gave me a permission for using Her main OC. I'm not exactly proud of scene with her, but I will work on this. I hope I showed Alys in right way, if I didn't... constructive criticism is welcome.


	12. Chapter 12

Every sailor will tell you that a ship is a kind of living organism; has a soul, emotions, reacts to the mood of the crew. And since Yaga was able to sense certain things, without a shadow of a doubt she could tell that the crew (including herself) was pissed off. No one knew why they're heading south, and Qilby refused to give any piece of information, to Robin's frustration. In addition, no one was interested in another, so long mission, after such a short time from the last one. In addition, they were stuck without wind five times, twice hooked on the underwater reef, which threat the hull's tightness, a few large rodents were found in the pantry and the crew had to deal with them using a crossbow (what was strange, Robin, though he was Cra, refused to cooperate, citing the fact that taking care of supplies and equipment was a quartermaster's job, not his, so everything fell on Lucky's shoulders), and the illness of the Kalmia was more difficult to handle than usual, so young Sadida most of the voyage had to spend in her cabin, stuck in a weird lethargy.

"I'll probably look like this superstitious one," Lucky sighed, when she was helping him to clean the guns under the deck. They weren't used very often, because Robin generally didn't like a sea battles, and some spiders, living in the dark corners of the ship, thought they were great locations to live in "but I won't be surprised if our journey is cursed"

"You think?" Yaga raised her eyebrow and quickly evicted another eight-pedal tenant from the depths of the barrel. This one tried to be tricky and tried to bite her, thinking it would scare her, but it has been disappointed, for she had thrown him overboard as part of the revenge.

"'s visible to the blind, lassie," laughed buldog-faced Ouginak "Ever since we're on open sea, everythin' goes nuts. Whatever Echo said to your boyfriend obviously wasm't anythin' good. Not a good sign, don't ya think?"

"Qilby is not my boyfriend" the girl snorted. "Interesting guy, yes, but not my type"

"Too old?" Lucky raised his eyebrow.

"Single" she joked, and her companion started to laugh. She did not really try to build romantic relationship with Qilby because of his eyes. Or rather, because of what she noticed in them.

"Ya'll see, lassie! I can bet about me right paw that it will end badly!" Lucky bared his fangs in smile when he finally stopped laughing.

"If it will end badly, neither of us can have a paws at all," Yaga said, causing another attack of laughter.

* * *

Qilby received a small cabin which he must OF COURSE share with the Mask. The silent man did not report any objection, but just in case he kept watching the old Eliatrope's hands to make sure he won't try anything stupid. At one point this permanent surveillance became unbearable.

"Get him out," snarled the Eliatrop on one beautiful day, after getting into the captain's cabin, where he devoted himself to earthly pleasures on the maps. (Qilby preferred not to comment this) "From my cabin. Or I'm going insane!"

"I don't quite understand" Robin tried to play dumb, but it did not work in the long run.

"You DO understand, and we both know it." Qilby grabbed him by the front of his shirt and tugged. He had one arm, but he was not weak "That ... This thing is spying me constantly! It does nothing just sits, is silent and staring! It drives me nuts!"

"You should be glad about he's silent, believe me," the Cra shuddered at the mere memory of his masked friend's voice; he heard only once, many years ago, and he was deeply grateful that the circumstances had never repeated in his presence. "And this staring stuff... Well, he was ordered to keep an eye on you, and he will do so until he receives a new order"

"So order him to stop! Give me someone else, I beg you" the Eliatrop began to cross the thin line between weak nerves and hysteria attack. The Masqueraider scared him, because the manner in which he behaved relate quite clearly to something that is NOT living.

"And secondly," Robin pretended that he didn't hear anything. "It was, and will be  **his**  cabin. You are a guest there. If you don't like it, I can shut you back in the cage for rest of journey!"

In Qilby's veins blood boiled. How dares he, this wretched sea piece of trash! Wakfu Lightning between his eyes will teach him...!

Who knows how it would end if Kira hadn't ran in there with panic in her purple eyes.

"Storm!" she coughed, short of breath "Yaga reported...! From the east!"

"How big?" Robin immediately jumped from a "bored asshole" mode to a "reasonable captain" mode.

"See for yourself"

These three words never mean anything good. Alarmed the dark-haired Cra ran from the cabin to the main deck, where his crew was getting ready for the worst. Yaga just jumped from the main mast, pale like a ghost (I mean, more pale than usual).

And Robin soon understood why. A gigantic, dark storm cloud hung over the ocean and seemed to reach as far as the horizon. There was no way to avoid it, not with this wind. The waves were already wilder than usual, jolting their junk ship in a rather disturbing way. But they had to break through this hell, whether they liked it or not.

"Fuck," the Cra snapped angrily.

 

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Me (nervous, feeling angry glares of my readers, after they finished reading not best of my texts): Hehe... Guys, easy, I know it took me... Few months to add that and it's maybe not great, but... Damn, what people in my country say in situation like that? Oh, right. It's Donald Tusk's fault! (runs away, trying to catch flight to New Zealand).
> 
> P.S.
> 
> If somebody wonders how looks hierarchy on "Amanda" here's a list:
> 
> Robin- captain.
> 
> Kalmia- second-in-command.
> 
> "The Mask"- ?
> 
> Lucky- quartermaster, guy from logistics, cook sometimes.
> 
> Kira- rookie.
> 
> Yaga- rookie.
> 
> Qilby- rookie.
> 
> This is how it looks like, in big short.


End file.
